On September 10, 1752 a handful of men stepped off a small boat onto the docks of Edenton, North Carolina. Leading these men was one Bishop August Spangenburg and he had been sent here on an important mission, to determine the future location of a major Moravian settlement in the wilds of western North Carolina. You see, the Moravian Church in North America had already been established in the north at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Interest had grown within the church, however, to expand south in order to both spread the Gospel among the Cherokees as well as to expand the church's economic base. They had, therefore, recently purchased nearly 100,000 acres of land (unseen, mind you!) from then Proprieter of North Carolina John Carteret, Earl of Granville. The Moravians named the newly owned land 'Wachovia'. Bishop Spangenburg and his men were setting out to see just what Wachovia might offer. After many months of wandering the wilderness backcountry of North Carolina by hoof and by boat, the small party eventually located a promising tract of land in the rolling Piedmont hills of today's Forsyth County. This was where they would found Wachovia by constructing a town which would serve both the spiritual and commercial needs of the region. That town would be called Salem.

Let's back up a bit though...these 'Moravians'...who are they? The Moravian Church, a protestant denomination, was formed in 1457 in the regions of Bohemia and Moravia in todays Czech Republic. From the beginning, followers of this fledging sect endured great persecution from their neighbors. Over the following century small bands of faithful Moravians spread out across Northern Europe, wanting nothing more than to practice their faith in peace. Finally, in 1722, they found a refuge of sorts. A German Count by the name of Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf offered the exiled Moravians a portion of his estate as a refuge. The Moravians eagerly accepted and quickly founded the small but peaceful town of Herrnhut. It wasn't long after this that the first members of the Moravian Church made the pilgrimage to North America. Landing in the Savannah, Georgia area in 1733 the Moravians set about building their first New World settlement. It wouldn't last. With ongoing border conflicts between Britain and Spain erupting all over the region, the peace-loving Moravians sought to move somewhere more...well, peaceful. This they did in 1740 when the community packed up and moved to Pennsylvania, where they founded the town of Bethlehem. It was intended to be the center of the Moravian Church in North America. One of the prime directives of the church was that of spreading the gospel among the local native tribes. This they did, with a passion, in Pennsylvania, New York, and points west. That's about the time the Earl of Granville stepped in and offered the Moravian Church that prime piece of real estate in the wilds of North Carolina.

So, back to Salem. Between 1752, when the Bishop and his men first arrived, and 1765 the search was on to select the perfect place to build the new Moravian city. While the survey of the land progressed two smaller towns, named Bethabara and Bethania, were built by immigrating Moravians from Pennsylvania to give the regions infrastructure and economy a kick start. Finally, in 1765 a spot was chosen to build Salem and by early 1766 construction began in earnest. The town square was plotted out and work began on the major administrative buildings of the town as well as a select few private homes. By 1772 the shiny new town was move-in ready and Moravians from the two settlements mentioned earlier began to move in. Slowly, the town began to thrive and over the intervening decades Salem became a major economic hub in the region. A major test to the new community of Salem came with the onset of the Revolutionary War. In adherence with their beliefs, the local Moravians maintained a strictly neutral stance. For the most part the town escaped the ravages of war though it did find itself occupied on occasion during the Southern Campaigns of 1780-81. Eventually peace returned and as the 19th Century dawned Salem looked to have a prosperous future ahead of it.

Prosper it did. The early 1800's saw staggering growth in every type of industry. This was a very diverse town. If it could be made or grown, it was probably made or grown in Salem. The times were good. However, with progress came a gradual loosening of the Moravian Church's control over the community. In its early days the church oversaw the operation of all businesses (even the tavern!), told people where they should and shouldn't build their homes, and had ultimate authority over marriage arrangements, among many other things. By the mid 1800's, however, more and more private businesses were popping up around town and more and more Moravians were becoming independently wealthy. On January 5, 1857, papers of incorporation were signed, and the Moravian church town of Salem ceased to exist. Then came the Civil War. Another thing that Salem had lost was its spirit of pacifism. Though still deeply divided as to what role they should play in the conflict, many Moravian men did sign and fight with the Confederate Armies. Thankfully, in the four years of conflict, Salem was spared the horrors of war visited on so many other nearby communities.

Reconstruction followed the Civil War and Salem fell into the same economic slump which had swallowed the rest of the south. Never again would Salem be the primary economic center of the region. Tobacco, and simultaneously the upstart town of Winston to the north, began to dominate the fortunes of Salem and, in 1913, the two towns officially joined as today's Winston-Salem. Understandably, with so much growth and change over the years little of 18th Century Salem remained in its 20th Century form. Luckily, starting in the 1930's, forward thinking citizens began to take interest in preserving what had manage to survive. Then in 1950, Old Salem Incorporated formed with its express mission being acquisition, preservation, and restoration. Since its formation some 85-acres of the original Moravian town have been protected....including over 100 buildings!

So it was into this magnificent, sprawling, tangible, piece of North Carolina history that I wandered this day. Paying the modest fee so I could get into the handful of buildings where knowledgeable costumed interpreters were waiting to add to the experience. In addition to the building open to the public I also took it upon myself to wander around and document the rest of the historic district, much of which is still in the hands of private homeowners. Even so, it was all incredibly fascinating. All the stories, all the lives, all the richness of the Moravian community that is now long gone is still on display here for anyone to visit and experience. I invite you then to come along with me as I wander the historic neighborhoods of Old Salem. If you like what you see I highly recommend you go visit for yourself.

Otherwise, ENJOY!!

Old Salem, NC (7-17-16)

Let's just say the visitor center doesn't give a real good impression of the historic-ness of the site. Even so, it's a great place to get oriented and contains a number of interesting and informative displays...

Old Salem Site Map

A general map of the historic district I was about to wander through. The highlighted buildings are the ones owned and operated by Old Salem, Inc. As you'll see if you continue through this album these buildings are only the tip of the iceberg...

Heritage Bridge Entrance

Though not historic, unless you consider 1999 a historic year, the Heritage Bridge provides access to the historic district from the visitor center...

Eberhardt House (ca. 1831)

921 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1951This was the home of clock-maker and locksmith Lewis Eberhardt. The addition on the left side of the house in this shot was Eberhardt's workshop, and was added in 1833.

Eberhardt Shop (ca. 1834)

919 South Main Street -- reconstructed ca. 1967Originally built by Lewis Eberhardt as a blacksmith shop it was later simply used a general workshop.

Timothy Vogler Gunsmith Shop (ca. 1831)

913 South Main Street -- restored ca. 2002Gunsmith Timothy Vogler built this shop, where he lived and worked, in 1831. Vogler saved his money as his business grew and a couple years later built the home across the street which you'll see later in the album.

Timothy Vogler Gunsmith Shop (ca. 1831)

913 South Main Street -- restored ca. 2002Gunsmith Timothy Vogler built this shop, where he lived and worked, in 1831. Vogler saved his money as his business grew and a couple years later built the home across the street which you'll see later in the album.

Johannes Volz House (ca. 1816)

916 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1963This house, though unmoved from its original site, was originally located outside of town. Johannes Volz was a retired farmer who continued to sell goods to the local community from the small field once located behind this home.

Timothy Vogler House (ca. 1832)

909 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1960Timothy Vogler, owner of the gunsmith shop pictured earlier, He built this home after marrying his wife, Charlotte. The home sits below the level of the street as it was built before a trolly line was constructed through town, which raised the roadway.

David Keehln House (ca. 1831)

913 South Main StreetDr. David Keehln came to Salem in 1818. He built this structure as a combination dwelling and apothecary.

John Siewers House (ca. 1844)

832 South Main Street -- restored ca. 2011Very representative of 1840's home design, this fine home was built and owned by cabinetmaker John Siewers. John's brother, Jacob, lived in a home across the street (pictured later).

Siewers' Cabinet Shop (ca. 1842)

15 Walnut StreetLocated behind and across the street from John Siewers home, this was the cabinet shop where both John and his brother Jacob worked. It is one of the few original shops still standing in Old Salem.

Jacob Siewers House (ca. 1845)

823 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1971Jacob Siewers, a cabinetmaker, was the brother of John Siewers who lived just across the street. John's home and the cabinet shop where they both worked are pictured in the previous two shots.

Traugott Leinbach House (ca. 1824)

807 South Main Street -- reconstructed ca. 1974Traugott Leinbach was a silversmith and daguerran (an early photographer) who built this structure as both his home and place of work. The door on the right entered the family portion of the dwelling while the left door entered Leinbach's shop. The original home/shop which stood here was torn down in 1912.

August Zevely House (ca. 1842)

803 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1994The house was built by one David Blum but was soon thereafter sold to Dr. August Zevely. Like the Leinbach house in the previous shot the structure has two entrances, one for the family quarters and the other for Zevely's business. Zevely was also known to take in guests when, on occasion, the Salem Tavern across the street would fill.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784)

800 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1956The Salem Tavern was the first brick structure built in Salem and originally stood on the southern outskirts of town. Owned and operated by the local Moravian Church, the tavern welcomed outsiders to the town without actually welcoming them into the town. The tavern quickly built a well-known reputation for fine service and hospitality and saw many guests, some quite famous, over the years. No doubt its most famous visitor was President George Washington himself, who stayed at the tavern for three days in early summer, 1791.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- "Guest Room"

Entering the tavern, to the immediate left is the so-called 'guest room' where more run-of-the-mill visitors would congregate to eat, drink, converse, carry out business, or play games (though no gambling as this was a church-run facility!).

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- "Gentleman's Room"

To the right upon entering the tavern is where more well-heeled visitors to Salem Tavern would be welcomed. Meals served in this room were of higher quality than what was served across the way in the 'guest room' and it offered smaller, more comfortable, tables at which to dine or carry out other business.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- "Washington's Room"

Though there's no concrete evidence that Washington actually slept in this particular room, it was by far the nicest accommodations the tavern had to offer...so it would make sense that he did. It's located in the northeast corner of the taverns first floor.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- Tavern Keeper's Room

Also on the first floor were the tight living quarters for the tavern keeper, his family, and the stable boy.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- Upstairs Guest Room

Upstairs is where the more basic accommodations are located in the tavern and, thus, where most of the overnight guests here stayed. These are so-called 'shared' rooms...not just in the fact that you would be sharing the whole room with someone else but those beds are meant to sleep two, meaning two complete strangers were expected to share.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- Upstairs Room

Another small dining area is located upstairs along with the 'shared' guest rooms.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- "Bar Storage"

Walking downstairs, you enter the cellar, which is all that remains of the original 1771 tavern. This room with vaulted stone ceilings was known as the 'bar storage' as it was where the beer and other spirits were kept.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- "Kitchen Storage"

The two larger rooms in the cellar were where perishable foods and kitchen equipment were stored.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1784) -- The Kitchen

The final room downstairs was the kitchen, which is pretty self-explanatory in its use I think...

Tavern Barn (ca. 1820's)

Guests would have stored their horses and/or other animals here during their stay. The barn is not original to the site but, rather, was moved to Old Salem from the neighboring Moravian community of Bethania in 1961.

Tavern Barn (ca. 1820's)

Guests would have stored their horses and/or other animals here during their stay. The barn is not original to the site but, rather, was moved to Old Salem from the neighboring Moravian community of Bethania in 1961.

Salem Tavern (ca. 1824) - Rear Outdoor View

800 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1956The Salem Tavern was the first brick structure built in Salem and originally stood on the southern outskirts of town. Owned and operated by the local Moravian Church, the tavern welcomed outsiders to the town without actually welcoming them into the town. The tavern quickly built a well-known reputation for fine service and hospitality and saw many guests, some quite famous, over the years. No doubt its most famous visitor was President George Washington himself, who stayed at the tavern for three days in early summer, 1791.

Whipple House (ca. 1918)

12 Blum StreetThough it doesn't date back to the time of Old Salem, this modern structure is built on an old lot with one unique bit of history. The backyard of this home once housed a wood shed which served as a Revolutionary War powder magazine.

Salem Tavern Restaurant (ca. 1816)

800 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1968This building was originally built to serve as lodging overflow for the next-door Salem Tavern. Known as the 'boarding house', it was also once connected by a dining hall to the tavern itself. The dining hall was demolished in the 1890's and the old boarding house now serves as a restaurant.

Ebert-Reich House (ca. 1793)

731 South Main Street -- renovated ca. 1938This old home, originally a large log structure, was built by a wood turner named Johann Ebert. When Ebert was kicked out of Salem (not sure why) the home was purchased by coppersmith Johann Reich in 1803. The current design of the home is the result of an 1843 alteration.

Joshua Boner House (ca. 1844)

723 South Main StreetJoshua Boner built this house on the site of a log home which he previously tore down. Boner then opened a general store in a corner of the home. The shops entrance was through the under-sized door on the left.

Blum House (ca. 1815)

724 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1995This home, built by banker and newspaper printer John Blum, was originally only a story-and-a-half tall. It was John's son who added the extra story in 1854.

Nathaniel Siewers House (ca. 1872)

715 South Main StreetThis large home was home to Dr. Nathaniel Siewers and his wife Eleanor. It is one of Salem's first post-Civil War homes.

South Main Street

Looking up historic South Main Street...

Samuel Schultz House (ca. 1819)

714 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1961Once the home of shoemaker Samuel Shultz and his family, this handsome home is typical of the styling in which residences of Salem were built between 1815-1825. Initially Shultz ran his shoe shop right out of his house but later moved into the small shop next door.

Samuel Schultz Shoemaker Shop (ca. 1827)

712 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1978Built alongside Shultz' home in the previous photo, this is one of five existing original shops from Old Salem. Normally this building is open to the public with a costumed interpreter working inside...unfortunately, this day it was closed.

Christoph Vogler House (ca. 1797)

710 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1955If you can't tell by his home, gunsmith Christoph Vogler did very well for himself. A second story was actually added to the home after Vogler's tenure but was removed when the structure was restored.

John Vogler House (ca. 1819)

700 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1954Another of Salem's building open to the public (with a ticket!) this was the home of John and Christina Vogler, along with their three children. John was a skilled and extremely successful silversmith and watchmaker. The home remained in the Vogler family until 1950 when it was donated to Old Salem.

John Vogler House (ca. 1819) -- Parlor

Located just inside the front door to the home is the parlor. This is a family room of sorts but would also have been where John and Christina entertained guests.

John Vogler House (ca. 1819) - Workshop

To the right upon entering is the room where John plied his trade as a silversmith and watchmaker.

John Vogler House (ca. 1819) - Dining Room

I failed to note exactly what this room was utilized for but based on the decor it was likely a kitchen and/or dining room.

John Vogler House (ca. 1819) - Master Bedroom

This is one of the four bedrooms located in the upstairs of the Vogler home.

John Vogler House (ca. 1819) -- Children's Room

Another of the four upstairs bedrooms. It's worth noting that much of the furniture you see here and in previous photos are originals donated by the Vogler family.

Anna Catharina Reuter House (ca. 1772)

8 West Street -- reassembled ca. 1954This was Salem's first timber-framed home and was originally located on Main Street itself where the John Vogler House stands. When Vogler bought the lot he moved the Catharina House to the back of his lot and used it as a carriage barn. The home was later disassembled once again but reconstructed when the Vogler house was restored.

Salem Community Store (ca. 1775) -- Side View

626 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1954Built across from Salem Square by one Traugott Bagge, the old community store was the mega-mart of its day. Extremely successful in his business, Bagge also participated actively in local governmental affairs during the Revolutionary War and even served as member of the North Carolina Assembly after the war. Today, the old community store has been renamed T. Bagge: Merchant and continues to serve as a location where visitors to Old Salem can find goods of every type.

Salem Community Store (ca. 1775) -- Front View

626 South Main Street -- restored ca. 1954Built across from Salem Square by one Traugott Bagge, the old community store was the mega-mart of its day. Extremely successful in his business, Bagge also participated actively in local governmental affairs during the Revolutionary War and even served as member of the North Carolina Assembly after the war. Today, the old community store has been renamed T. Bagge: Merchant and continues to serve as a location where visitors to Old Salem can find goods of every type.

Traugott Bagge House (ca. 1787)

10 West Street -- rebuilt ca. 1970This home, built across the street from Traugott Bagge's community store, was not actually occupied by Bagge but rather used as employee housing for workers at his store. The original home was demolished in 1920 but has since been reconstructed to look as it would have during the early 1800's. The small white building attached was an apothecary which was added after Bagge's time.